LightWave T5 2 tube 2ft

LightWave T5 2 tube 2ft

Q What are T5 lights?
A T5 is a particular type of high-output fluorescent tube. They are far brighter than the older standard T8 type lights and they are powered by a special T5 ballast.

Q Why are they better than normal fluorescent tubes?
A They are substantially brighter than standard fluorescent tubes and they can be tuned to deliver specific colour balances suitable for plant production and fish keeping. Therefore, they are presented here as a replacement for standard fluorescents in propagation systems – with not so many needed and better results – and for HID lights in general plant cultivation. By using T5s you'll be able to use fewer tubes than before, and deliver much more light power over your plants or fish.

Q Do they have any advantages over metal halide and sodium lighting?
A Fluorescents are always described as "cooler" light sources and by comparison with HID lights that is certainly true. However T5s generate more light than the older tubes and there is inevitably some heat given off. The laws of physics are a tough taskmaster. However they certainly are cool, in comparative terms, and can be placed much closer to the plants or fish tanks than HID lights – which is a huge advantage in effective light delivery.

Closer = brighter
The inverse square law states that light projected onto a surface is inversely proportional to the square of its distance from the source. Basically this means that the closer your lights are to the plant the better, but by a much bigger amount than you would intuitively expect. Halve the distance and quadruple the light. Technically speaking, the inverse square law only applies to "point sources" of light. Since fluorescent lamps are long thin tubes, they're more apt to be considered "line sources", which behave in a slightly different way. However the fact remains that fluorescent lights – even the powerful T5s – can be placed very close to the plants. The extra raw power of the T5 is considered adequate to overcome the deeper penetration of HID lights.

Limited headroom
The T5 tubes are mounted inside the reflectors so the total depth of the fitting is quite minimal. This, coupled with the closer mounting possible for T5's, allows for plant production where headroom is limited and is perfect for use on shelving units.

Q How long do the tubes last?
A The manufacturers are claiming an effective life of 15,000 hours with less than a 20% loss of output over that period. This is a far longer lifespan claim than most other lamps and needs to be treated with some caution. Replacement tubes are pretty inexpensive and we would suggest 18 months as a more realistic time between changeovers.